editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94David Schaper is a NPR National Desk reporter based in Chicago.In this role, he covers news in Chicago and around the Midwest. Additionally he reports on a broad range of important social, cultural, political, and business issues in the region.The range of Schaper's reporting has included profiles of service members killed in Iraq, and members of a reserve unit returning home to Wisconsin. He produced reports on the important political issues in key Midwest battleground states, education issues related to "No Child Left Behind," the bankruptcy of United Airlines as well as other aviation and transportation issues, and the devastation left by tornadoes, storms, blizzards, and floods in the Midwest.Prior to joining NPR, Schaper spent nine years working as an award-winning reporter and editor for Chicago Public Radio's WBEZ-FM. For three years he covered education issues, reporting in-depth on the problems, financial and otherwise, plaguing Chicago's public schools.In 1996, Schaper wasNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94David SchaperWed, 30 Nov 2016 13:33:40 +0000David Schaperhttp://nwpr.org
David SchaperFederal regulators say the nation's railroads are making slow and uneven progress in installing positive train control, technology that could prevent train crashes, and there is growing concern that several railroads may not make the government's deadline for implementing the system.Positive train control uses GPS, trackside signals, onboard computers and other technologies to slow down or stop a train that is going too fast. It is seen as a major safety improvement that can reduce the risk of human factors in crashes, such as an operator or engineer nodding off or missing signals because of distractions.Investigators say the system could have prevented the Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia that killed eight passengers and injured more than 200 others in May 2015. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded earlier this year that Amtrak engineer Brandon Bostian was distracted by radio transmissions about rocks being thrown at and striking another train, causing him to miss aFeds: Railroads Make Slow Progress On Revolutionary Braking Systemhttp://nwpr.org/post/feds-say-railroads-making-slow-progress-revolutionary-braking-system
86554 as http://nwpr.orgMon, 28 Nov 2016 23:43:00 +0000Feds: Railroads Make Slow Progress On Revolutionary Braking SystemDavid SchaperOn a night that the national election results had her discouraged, Seattle resident Anne Johnson had at least one ballot measure to celebrate: ST3, which will raise the local sales tax in the Seattle-Tacoma area to help pump $54 billion into expanding the region's rail and bus systems. It passed by a wide margin."That is awesome, and we've put a lot of work into that, and I'm excited for the direction that that will take Seattle," says Johnson, who adds that the transit improvements will help people get to their jobs, to school and will have environmental benefits, too.And Seattle voters aren't alone in approving new transit funding. San Francisco Bay area voters OK'd a tax increase to upgrade the aging BART system. Los Angeles County voters backed a tax increase to expand light rail, commuter rail and bus rapid transit service. And Atlanta voters approved expanding that city's transit lines.One of the unheralded national stories from Election Day is just how well trains and buses didVoters Backed Transit Funds. Will Congress OK Trump Infrastructure Plan? http://nwpr.org/post/voters-backed-transit-funds-will-congress-ok-trump-infrastructure-plan
86420 as http://nwpr.orgThu, 24 Nov 2016 00:32:00 +0000Voters Backed Transit Funds. Will Congress OK Trump Infrastructure Plan? David SchaperIf it's true that misery loves company, then the heartbreaking failures of the Chicago Cubs over the last century certainly cemented bonds through generations of fans.The Cubs are in the World Series for the first time in 71 years, and they haven't won the fall classic since 1908.That makes this year's success somewhat bittersweet for many fans in Chicago, who remember parents, grandparents, spouses and other loved ones who didn't live long enough to see this day.So in cemeteries all across the Chicago area, fans are planting Cubs' flags, pennants, flowers, balloons and little stuffed Cubby bears in front of the headstones of Cubs fans who are no longer with us.At Bohemian National Cemetery on the city's northwest side, there is a "Cubs Fans Forever" wall — built to look like iconic Wrigley Field's outfield wall with real bricks and ivy from the ballpark — containing the ashes of several die-hard Cubs fans."[I was] feeling bad that he's not here with us to see Cubs winning," LindaCubs Fans Decorate Grave Sites Of Loved Ones Across Chicago Areahttp://nwpr.org/post/cubs-fans-decorate-grave-sites-loved-ones-across-chicago-area
85314 as http://nwpr.orgWed, 26 Oct 2016 22:03:00 +0000Cubs Fans Decorate Grave Sites Of Loved Ones Across Chicago AreaDavid SchaperOur cars and trucks are being made with more safety features. New technologies such as lane departure warnings, blind spot detection, vehicle stabilizers and anti-lock brakes can, and do, save lives.Yet more people are dying on the nation's roadways — nearly 18,000 in the first six months of this year. That's a huge jump of 10.4 percent over the same time period in 2015, and it's part of a disturbing trend, according to federal officials, because traffic fatalities rose significantly last year, too."After decades of progress reducing fatalities, all of a sudden, we're suddenly losing ground," says Mark Rosekind, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.So the government is teaming up with safety advocates, highway designers and others in a new effort to try to reduce the number of traffic fatalities — to zero — within 30 years."We have an immediate crisis on our hands and we also have a long-term challenge," Rosekind says.The tragic toll is seen every day byHuman Errors Drive Growing Death Toll In Auto Crasheshttp://nwpr.org/post/tech-human-errors-drive-growing-death-toll-auto-crashes
85032 as http://nwpr.orgThu, 20 Oct 2016 08:28:00 +0000Human Errors Drive Growing Death Toll In Auto CrashesDavid Schaper Many travelers have resigned themselves to paying $25 or more to check a bag when flying. But that fee becomes especially onerous when the bag doesn't show up on the carousel at baggage claim.The White House is proposing a new rule that would require airlines to refund the checked baggage fee if luggage is "substantially delayed," though it does not define "substantially."NPR aviation reporter David Schaper says airlines are already required to compensate passengers for lost or damaged luggage. Schaper quotes Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx arguing that this next step just makes sense: "If you pay the baggage fee and your bags are not returned to you in a timely manner, you've essentially paid for a service you're not getting."An airline industry spokesperson says the regulation is unnecessary because many airlines already offer baggage fee refunds on their own and some will even reimburse travelers for the cost of clothes they need to purchase if luggage is substantially delayedNew Rules Would Require Airlines To Refund Baggage Fees For Delayed Luggagehttp://nwpr.org/post/new-rules-would-refund-checked-baggage-fees-delayed-luggage
84993 as http://nwpr.orgWed, 19 Oct 2016 09:16:00 +0000New Rules Would Require Airlines To Refund Baggage Fees For Delayed LuggageDavid SchaperCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit GREENE, HOST: The numbers in the city of Chicago, they're just staggering. More than 3,000 people have been shot this year, more than 500 killed. That's already more than all of last year. And Chicago has recorded more murders this year than New York and Los Angeles combined. The city announced yesterday it will hire nearly 1,000 new police officers over the next two years. And Mayor Rahm Emanuel outlined a broader effort to try to reduce gun violence in a highly-anticipated speech tonight. From Chicago, NPR's David Schaper reports. DAVID SCHAPER, BYLINE: I'm standing on a street corner on Chicago's west side in the West Garfield Park neighborhood, where, quite honestly, the gang and gun violence problem is not new. But longtime residents here say they never thought it would get this bad. MARSHALL HATCH: It's just this constant barrage of violence that seems to get more and more heinous. SCHAPER: Reverend Marshall Hatch is pastor of New MountChicago Mayor To Address Effort To Reduce Gun Violencehttp://nwpr.org/post/chicago-mayor-address-effort-reduce-gun-violence
84021 as http://nwpr.orgThu, 22 Sep 2016 11:47:00 +0000Chicago Mayor To Address Effort To Reduce Gun ViolenceDavid SchaperCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit SCHAPER, BYLINE: I'm David Schaper in Chicago, where that cheap gas that Jeff talked about and a stronger economy are putting a lot more cars and trucks on the road. I'm sitting in my car on Lake Shore Drive, and traffic is bumper-to-bumper, barely moving at all. New government figures show that more vehicles plus more people driving more often all adds up to more crashes. And highways like this one are getting a lot more dangerous. MARK ROSEKIND: This was both tragic and alarming for us. SCHAPER: Mark Rosekind heads the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It released data this week showing that more than 35,000 people were killed on the nation's roads last year, reversing what had been a promising trend. ROSEKIND: Over 10 years, we had seen a 25-percent drop in the number of lives lost on our roadways. And then, in 2015, we saw a 7.5-percent increase, the largest percent increase in 50 years. SCHAPER: That's almost 100 trafficNew Government Figures Reveal Uptick In Driving Fatalitieshttp://nwpr.org/post/new-government-figures-reveal-uptick-driving-fatalities
83261 as http://nwpr.orgFri, 02 Sep 2016 20:32:00 +0000New Government Figures Reveal Uptick In Driving FatalitiesDavid SchaperThe U.S. Department of Transportation released a statistic on Wednesday that should surprise no one who flies: In the first six months of the year, nearly 1 in every 5 flights was delayed.Flights can be delayed for reasons ranging from bad weather to mechanical problems, but airlines know delays are a problem.Sarah, a corporate training professional based in Texas, is a frequent flier and writes the travel blog Road Warriorette. (She didn't want her last name used because her employer doesn't know about her blog.) Sarah recalls one flight to Charlotte, N.C., that was already delayed an hour and a half."We took off. We hit a bird and had to turn around and come back," Sarah remembers. "At that point, they were like, 'Sorry guys, but your pilots and crew are timing out and so we're gonna have to wait another two hours for a new crew to come in.' "To prevent fatigue, the FAA limits how long pilots can work. So, if your plane can't make it to its destination before the pilots reach theirAirline Pilots Pump The Brakes On Plans To Speed Up Flightshttp://nwpr.org/post/airline-pilots-pump-brakes-plans-speed-flights
82589 as http://nwpr.orgWed, 17 Aug 2016 21:35:00 +0000Airline Pilots Pump The Brakes On Plans To Speed Up FlightsDavid SchaperCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit GREENE, HOST: Well, hope you are not trying to fly this morning on Delta Airlines. Hundreds of flights are delayed or canceled after the airline had to ground its entire fleet because of a system outage. Earlier this morning, we reached one person stuck in this mess, Jackie Watanabe (ph). She was trying to get from Las Vegas to Raleigh. JACKIE WATANABE: Every few minutes, they just kept saying they're still having computer issues. They couldn't figure out if it was just local or if it was system-wide. And then eventually they said it was global. GREENE: Global - that gives you a sense of how big this problem was. Now, we are told the ground stop has now been lifted. No telling, though, how quickly Jackie and other passengers will make it to their destinations. Let's bring in NPR's David Schaper who has been following this story from Chicago. And, David, what happened? DAVID SCHAPER, BYLINE: Well, David, there was a power outage in Atlanta, whichDelta Grounds All Its Airplanes After Power Outagehttp://nwpr.org/post/delta-grounds-all-its-airplanes-after-power-outage
82194 as http://nwpr.orgMon, 08 Aug 2016 14:37:00 +0000Delta Grounds All Its Airplanes After Power OutageDavid SchaperIt's a warm and muggy summer afternoon in Chicago, but that doesn't seem to bother the kids clamoring to ride the Ferris wheel, the Rock-O-Plane and other carnival rides set up in this southwest suburban park.At the annual Chicago Fraternal Order of Police summer picnic, city cops and their families hauled in coolers and set up grills to enjoy food and bond with brothers and sisters in blue.But there's something hanging over this picnic: the stress and strain of the job, and the scrutiny that many here say is harsher than ever.Police across the country were already shaken, mourning the loss of the five officers in Dallas killed by a sniper last week. And then the police killings in Baton Rouge, La., happened.The deadly attacks on law enforcement, and the recent killings of black men by police, have many wondering if the relationship between the police and the communities they serve will get worse before it gets better."We're being judged for every little thing. And when it getsMany Cops Under Tremendous Stress After High-Profile Killingshttp://nwpr.org/post/many-cops-under-tremendous-stress-after-high-profile-killings
81252 as http://nwpr.orgMon, 18 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0000Many Cops Under Tremendous Stress After High-Profile KillingsDavid SchaperCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Chicago Energized By Naitonal Gun Control Reform Movementhttp://nwpr.org/post/chicago-energized-naitonal-gun-control-reform-movement
80303 as http://nwpr.orgSat, 25 Jun 2016 12:48:00 +0000Chicago Energized By Naitonal Gun Control Reform MovementDavid SchaperA record number of Americans are dying by accident and increasingly because of fatal overdoses and falls, and not so much in car crashes.A new report from the National Safety Council shows more than 136,000 people in the U.S. died accidentally in 2014, the highest number ever recorded. That's an increase of 4.2 percent from the year before and 15.5 percent more than a decade ago.The higher accidental death rate is being fueled in large part by the opioid and heroin epidemic.Overdose and accidental poisoning is now the leading cause of accidental death, killing more than 42,000 people in 2014, according to the NSC report. That's quadruple the number of poisoning deaths in 1998. Motor vehicle crashes killed 35,398 in 2014, 22 percent fewer than a decade ago and down sharply from a high of more than 53,000 in 1980.Experts point to safer vehicles, improved safety technology in cars, and changes in drivers licensing requirements for teens, such as graduated licenses as reasons for theMore Than Ever, Americans Are Dying By Accidenthttp://nwpr.org/post/more-ever-americans-are-dying-accident
79705 as http://nwpr.orgSat, 11 Jun 2016 13:00:00 +0000More Than Ever, Americans Are Dying By AccidentDavid SchaperThe excruciating wait times at Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports the past couple of weeks have travelers fuming and some city officials looking for other options.Chicago Alderman Ed Burke is calling on the city to do airport security the way it's done in Kansas City, San Francisco and several smaller airports around the country. He wants to hire a private company to staff the screening checkpoints."It's working in San Francisco, isn't it? And it's working in 20 other airports around the country. What we do know is it's not working here with TSA, so maybe it's an opportunity to give private industry a chance to show whether or not they can do it right," he says.Officials in New York, Atlanta and other cities are also taking a hard look at whether privatizing airport security might move travelers through checkpoints more quickly."I look at those lines and just the enormity of that and there has to be a rapid response," says Joe Schwieterman, transportation professor at Chicago'sCities Consider Privatizing TSA To Speed Up Checkpoints, But Would It?http://nwpr.org/post/cities-consider-privatizing-tsa-speed-checkpoints-would-it
79119 as http://nwpr.orgThu, 26 May 2016 21:36:00 +0000Cities Consider Privatizing TSA To Speed Up Checkpoints, But Would It?David SchaperThe head of the Transportation Security Administration is promising the agency will do a better job of staffing enough officers at airport security checkpoints to reduce long lines. But he says those long lines are likely to continue through the peak summer travel season.Travelers at some airports have been waiting two to three hours or more to get through screening. As a result, thousands have missed their flights in recent weeks.The problem has been particularly bad at Chicago's airports.The security checkpoint line Sunday night at Midway stretched all the way to the airport's transit station. At O'Hare, two- to three-hour waits forced 450 passengers to miss flights on American Airlines alone.Friday at O'Hare, TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger apologized."Earlier this week, we had a breakdown here in Chicago and that was unacceptable," Neffenger said. "I am very sorry to those people that did that, and we are working very hard to make sure that doesn't happen again."After meetingTSA Head Visits Chicago Airports In Effort To Reduce Long Security Lineshttp://nwpr.org/post/tsa-head-visits-chicago-airports-effort-reduce-long-security-lines
78887 as http://nwpr.orgFri, 20 May 2016 20:42:00 +0000TSA Head Visits Chicago Airports In Effort To Reduce Long Security LinesDavid SchaperCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Egyptian Officials Cite Possible Terrorism In EgyptAir Crash Investigationhttp://nwpr.org/post/egyptian-officials-cite-possible-terrorism-egyptair-crash-investigation
78839 as http://nwpr.orgThu, 19 May 2016 20:27:00 +0000Egyptian Officials Cite Possible Terrorism In EgyptAir Crash InvestigationDavid SchaperIllinois lawmakers may soon vote to eliminate the state's statute of limitations on child sex abuse crimes.The move comes in response to the 15-month sentence given last month to former House Speaker Dennis Hastert. Although Hastert admitted molesting teenage boys he coached decades ago, he could only be sentenced for a financial crime related to his efforts to pay one of his victims millions of dollars in hush money to cover up the crime.In Hastert's case, Scott Cross told a Chicago federal courtroom last month what he called "his darkest secret": that Hastert, his high school wrestling coach, had molested him in 1979. It was a secret Cross held for 36 years.The federal judge in the case expressed frustration that he could only sentence the former House speaker for providing hush money payments because the statute of limitations on the sex abuse had run out long ago."I am also frustrated," Chicago U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon said after Hastert's sentencing hearing. "I wish Mr.In Aftermath Of Hastert Case, States Push To Change Reporting Of Child Sex Abusehttp://nwpr.org/post/aftermath-hastert-case-states-push-change-reporting-child-sex-abuse
78541 as http://nwpr.orgThu, 12 May 2016 08:44:00 +0000In Aftermath Of Hastert Case, States Push To Change Reporting Of Child Sex AbuseDavid SchaperIn Chicago, one neighborhood's rat problem is about to get a lot worse.Crews are preparing to tear down an old hospital and when the wrecking ball starts swinging, the rodents living in and underneath the aging structure will scurry.The city and the developer are setting poison baits and traps to help control the problem, but some residents are turning to one of the rats' worst enemies instead — cats.Construction On Old Buildings Worsens Rat ProblemChicago's upscale Lincoln Park neighborhood is known for its fine bars and restaurants, trendy clothiers and elegant row houses mixed with luxurious town houses and yuppie apartment buildings.Like many densely populated urban neighborhoods, Lincoln Park also has rats. A lot of rats."They totally freak me out," says Courtney Bledsoe, as she sees a rat dart across the street while picking up her son at a Lincoln Park preschool."Every night when I walk down the sidewalk, I see rats," says 36-year-old Kelly McGee, who has come to accept thisFacing A Growing Rat Problem, A Neighborhood Sets Off The Cat Patrolhttp://nwpr.org/post/facing-growing-rat-problem-neighborhood-sets-cat-patrol
76976 as http://nwpr.orgMon, 04 Apr 2016 22:16:00 +0000Facing A Growing Rat Problem, A Neighborhood Sets Off The Cat PatrolDavid SchaperCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Change-Up In The Top Job At Chicago PD Greeted With Mixed Reactionshttp://nwpr.org/post/change-top-job-chicago-pd-greeted-mixed-reactions
76683 as http://nwpr.orgMon, 28 Mar 2016 20:04:00 +0000Change-Up In The Top Job At Chicago PD Greeted With Mixed ReactionsDavid SchaperCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit KELLY MCEVERS, HOST: One of the country's most passionate advocates for health care reform has died. Dr. Quentin Young was a civil rights activist in Chicago and a personal physician to city's first black mayor, to a governor and to Martin Luther King. David Schaper has this remembrance.DAVID SCHAPER, BYLINE: The care of his patients always came first to Quentin Young, buy fighting for universal access to care was his passion, says one of Young's patients, former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.PAT QUINN: I would have to say most of my visits to his office, we occasionally talked about medical matters, but mostly it was how to make sure everybody was in and nobody was left out when it came to decent health care.SCHAPER: Dr. Quentin Young grew up on Chicago's south side. And after serving in the Army during World War II, he earned his medical degree at Northwestern. He worked to desegregate Chicago hospitals in the 1950s and marched for civil rights inCivil Rights Activist Dr. Quentin Young Dies At 92http://nwpr.org/post/civil-rights-activist-dr-quentin-young-dies-92
75895 as http://nwpr.orgWed, 09 Mar 2016 21:57:00 +0000Civil Rights Activist Dr. Quentin Young Dies At 92David SchaperAmid low gas prices and a stronger economy, Americans are driving more than ever before, with new federal government figures showing traffic volumes are at an all-time high.However, there is a downside to this resurgence of driving: increased traffic congestion and pollution.New data from the Federal Highway Administration show that Americans drove a record 3.15 trillion vehicle miles last year — that's the equivalent of traveling from Earth to Pluto and back 337 times.Why are we driving more? One reason is cheap gas. After spiking above $4 a gallon just a few years ago, gasoline prices have plummeted. According to AAA, the national average right now is just $1.71 a gallon, and in some states, gas is below $1.50."There's a lot of other factors that affect the overall vehicle miles traveled," says P.S. Sriraj, interim executive director of the Urban Transportation Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He says job growth is a factor, too.When the economy tanked, drivingCheap Gas Means More Driving And Getting Stuck In Traffichttp://nwpr.org/post/cheap-gas-means-more-driving-and-getting-stuck-traffic
75218 as http://nwpr.orgTue, 23 Feb 2016 17:39:00 +0000Cheap Gas Means More Driving And Getting Stuck In Traffic